Crown-cleaning machine.



E. H. SCHAEFER.

CROWN CLEANING MACHINE. APPLICATION FIILED SEPT. 15, 1913. RENEWED APR. 14, 1915.

Patented June 15, 1915.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Inventor Attorneys THE NORRIS PETERS 60., FHOm-LITHOH WASHINGTON, D. C

E. H. SCHAEFER.

CROWN CLEANING MACHINE. APPLICATION FlLED-SEPT.15, 1913. RENEWED APR. '14. I915- Patented June 15, 1915.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 2' Invento THE NORRIS PETERS CO4. FHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON, D. c

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GROWN-CLEANING- MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 15, 1915.

Application filed September 15, 1913, Serial No. 789,931. Renewed April 14, 1915. Serial No. 21,450.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. ScHAErnn,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Stapleton, Staten Island, in the county of Richmond and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Crown-Cleaning Machine, of which the following is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application, is a sorting machine, adapted to be employed in connection with crown seals, of the kind ordinarily used to efiect a closure of bottles and other receptacles.

One object of the present invention is to provide, in a device'of the type above described, a drum of novel form which will serve to segregate seals of a standard size.

Another object of the. invention is to provide novel means for controlling the inlet of the unsorted seals, so that the quantity of unsorted seals admitted to the drum will correspond closely with the quantity of seals discharged from the drum, thereby to prevent a clogging of the drum.

Another object of the invention is to improve generally and to enhance the utility of, devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combina tion and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows the invention in vertical longitudinal section, parts appearing in elevation; Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmental section of one of the plates Which go to make up the drum; Fig. 4 is an end view of the drum and associated parts; Fig. 5 is an end view showing a slight modification; Fig. 6 is a perspective of a seal of the sort upon which the machine herein disclosed is adapted to exercise a sorting function.

In carrying out the invention there is provided a supporting structure preferably taking the form of a frame 1, provided at one end with an arm or block 2, supporting a flared, funnel-shaped discharge head 3 from which projects upwardly a pipe 4 entering a superposed hopper 5. The discharge member or pipe 4 is provided with a cut off device taking the form of a flat plate 6 mounted to move transversely in a slot in the pipe 4, the cut off device 6 being pivotally supported upon the pipe 4 as indicated at 7 and being adapted to engage, in a closed position, with a pipe-supported stop 8. A retractile spring 9 is connected with the cut off device 6.and with the pipe 4, and constitutes a means for maintaining the out 011 device in a closed position. The cut off device includes an outwardly projecting arm 10.

The invention further includes a drum which is denoted generally by a numeral 11. The drum 11 comprises end walls 12 and 14, each of polygonal outline, the end wall 12 being of a less diameter than the end wall 14. The end wall 12 is provided with an outwardly extended, tapered bearing 15 which is ournaled upon the flaring discharge head 3, as will be understood best from Fig. 1. Projecting outwardly from the head 14 of the drum 11 is a shaft 16 journaled for rotation in a bearing 17 carried by one end of the frame 1. To the shaft 16 may be secured a pulley 18 or other suitable means whereby rotation may be imparted to the drum 11 from a prime mover. The side walls of the drum are formed by a plurality of plates 19 extended between and secured to the ends 12 and 14. The plates 19 are spaced apart to form longitudinally extended openings 20 extended from one end of the drum to the other. Owing to the polygonal form of the end walls 12 and 14, longitudinal collecting pockets are formed in the drum, adjacent to the openings 20. Owing to the fact that the head 14 is of greater diameter than the head 12, the lower portion of the drum, as will be seen in Fig. 1 at 21 slants downwardly from the intake end of the drum toward the outlet end thereof. Owing to this feature, the seals which are deposited in the drum 11 will tend to move gravitationally from the intake end of the drum toward the outlet end thereof, when the drum is rotated. In this connection, it is to be noted that a finger 22 projects from the head 12, the finger 22 being adapted to engage the arm 10 of the cut 011 valve 6. Consequently, at every rotation of the drum, the finger 22 will strike the arm 10 of the cut oil valve 6, and move the cut off valve 6 to an open position, permitting alimited number of seals to pass from the hopper 5 into the interior of the drum, the spring 9 returning the cut off valve 6 to a closed posi-- 19 may be shorter than the others, thus to define one or more outlet openings 25 adjacent the outlet end of the drum. These shorter plates may be supported upon flanges 24E, projecting outwardly from the adjacent longer plates. Supported, upon the frame 1 and located in the path of the opening 25 is a hopper 26 provided with a discharge spout 27 located above a receptacle 28 of any desired form.

Each of the plates 19 which go to make up the drum are provided with a plurality of openings or perforations 30. There may be any number of these perforations and the perforations preferably extend from one end of the drum to the other. Surrounding each of the perforations 30, as shown best in Fig. 3 is a seat 31, the wall-of which slants outwardly and toward the axis of the opening 30. The function of this feature of the invention will be made manifest hereinafter.

In Fig. 6 there is shown a seal 32 of the type designed to be sorted by the machine herein disclosed, the seal comprising an outstanding crimped flange 33 and an inclosed stopper 341 which ordinarily is made of cork.

The operation of the device hereinbefore described is as follows :A quantity of unsorted seals 32 are dumped into the hopper '5, and the drum 11 is rotated through the medium of the pulley 18. When the drum 11 is rotated, the finger 22 thereon will come into engagement with the arm 10 of the cut off device 6, at each rotation of the drum, and move the cut off device to an-open position, permitting a quantity of seals to drop through the pipe 4 into the discharge head 3. The cut off device 6, as hereinbefore stated, is closed by the spring 9, so soon as the finger 22 is out of engagement with the arm 10. The seals deposited in the discharge head 3 will gravitate through the tapered bearing member 15 and enter the drum l1. Seals, and loose corks which are of a less diameter than the openings 30, will pass through these openings and drop out of the drum, seals of a standard size passing longitudinally of the drum, owing to the slant indicated at 21. Ultimately, the seals of a standard size will pass out the opening 25.

and thence pass into the receptacle 28 by way of the hopper 26'and the spout 27.

' Owing to the fact that the end walls 12 and 14: are of polygonal outline, longitudinally extended recesses or pockets are formed adjacent the longitudinal openings 20 between the edges of the plate, these pockets serving to direct dirt, loose corks and smallseals to the openings 20. Owing to thefact that each opening 30 is surrounded by the inclined seat 31, shown in Fig. 3,

it is obvious that the loose seals rolling about within the drum 11, will be directed readily into the openings 30, the output'of the drum being increased accordingly.

In Fig. 5, a slight modification of the invention is shown. In the form of the invention. under discussiomthe end wall 11 is replaced by a spider 37 having a hub 38,

thedrum being indicated generally at 35 and the constituent plates thereof being inclicated at 36. When the drum is constructed as shown in Fig. 5, the plates 36 may all be of the same length, the openings 25, shown in Fig. 1, being omitted.

It will be understood readily, that although small seals and loose corks will pass readily through the openings 30, the flanges tion on the drum and adapted to engage the out OK to move the same to an open position;

the drum being downwardly inclined from V the hopper and having a transversewall at its lower end, the drum having a discharge opening 'in its side wall and adjacent its lower end, the discharge opening being lo: cated above a line tangent to the bottom of the drum when the projection is engaged with the cut off, thereby to prevent crowding of unsorted material along the inclined drum and out of the opening when an increment of unsorted material is deposited in the drum by the operation of thecut 0E.

2. In a machine for sorting bottle caps,

a drum comprising a plurality of peripheral plates, the longitudinal edges of pairs of adjacentplates being spaced to define out let openings,'the plates defining'the angles of a polygon and the longitudinal edges of the plates of each pair being in circumferential alinement, the plates having outlet perforations of greater diameter than the width of the openings between the plates; means for supporting the drum for rotation; and meansfor discharging caps into the drum. j I

3. In a device of the class described, a rotary, automatically discharging container provided adjacent one end with an outlet opening which moves in an orbit when the container is rotated; a source of supply communicating with the container adjacent the other end thereof; a gate controlling said source; and a means on the container for opening the gate when the container is 10 rotated; the opening being disposed above the lowermost point in its orbit when the gate operating means and the gate are in coacting relation.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signa- 15 Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). 0. 

